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Poor traction in the snow

17K views 67 replies 19 participants last post by  realtreegrizzly 
#1 ·
Was wondering what everyone else thinks about riding in the snow we have about 5 inches of snow I find that the pioneer with stock tires and wheels doesn't go as well in the snow as I expected. my honda atv with worn out stock tires will go much better I have not checked my tire pressure it my have way to much making the tires hard. I have a gator 625i that will run circles around my pioneer in 2wd I was on my pioneer and my son was on the gator he was going places in 2wd I couldn't go in 4wd. Is it just the tires are aftermarket tires better Oh by the way my gator has bighorn 2.0 factory tires 27x14
 
#2 ·
I found that the Pioneer with stock tires in 2WD is pretty much just a lesson in how to spin tires. I haven't had mine out of 4WD since we got real snow in December.
Others with aftermarket tires will have other stories I'm sure.
 
#3 ·
I noticed that too, its a squirrel on hard pack unless you use 4wd. Seems fine on dirt and mud, probably lot to do with the tires not much contact surface.

Not complaining, being an old short tracker its fun. Don't care where the back end is .. just the front.
 
#5 ·
#6 ·
You also have to take into account that there is about 100 different types of snow and almost every storm will give you a different experience. I have seen snow the snowmobile would hardly go in.

Anyone used to driving jeeps in the snow will find these fit like a glove.

To get more traction look at Moose's posts on tires or add some weight in the back.
 
#7 ·
I had a 2006 rhino and it wouldn't pull out of its tracks in the snow drove it over the bank by the barn like to never got it out My son had a 250 recon he pulled up beside me stopped and said need a pull the took off from a dead stop on the same bank I was on junky old rhino Didn't keep it to long
 
#9 ·
According to their website the John Deere weighs 1450 pounds
The pioneer weighs 1261 pounds

1450
- 1261
= 189

That's not much difference with my son in there with me about the same as the gator with only one rider
 
#10 ·
Also these machines have wider tires in the back than the front that will give a squirrelly feel even in 4wd. Ideally tall skinny tires all the same size work best in snow unless your going on glaciers than you want balloon tires.
 
#16 ·
I have to disagree with that. Driver, motor, gearing, weight, tires all play a big part

Weight all of those factors equally.

If one of those factors really sucks, such as tires, you drop from an A+ (100%) to B- (80%) really fast. Then minus a few points here and there on the rest and you end up with an F- !
 
#14 ·
Like I always say when in doubt ream it out
 
#17 · (Edited)
Speaking of gearing, do you think the Pioneer could have benefitted from a low range?

I used to plow snow (admittedly, nowhere near the amount of the one we just got) with the ATV in 2WD (with 9yo almost slick tires). I'm just having a hard time believing there's that much difference.....in a tire.

Not saying I don't believe you. I'm saying it's a tough thing for me to believe. It's also an expensive leap of faith to switch out rubber on a new machine! :)

**Edit.... Also, due to the height of my opening (in the storage building - 83" clear), I'm not sure if I can up-size my tires or not. You would think the OEM size would be OK. But, you would also think the OEM tires would be.
 
#18 ·
These were never designed for snow, once we got 10 - 12" up here they were out of business except for plowed roads.

But I am surprised the ATV's went so much better than you, they are lighter and shouldn't be any better.

Enough snow.. where is spring?
 
#19 ·
I wish I'd taken video. A friend of ours lives at the end of the road (1.7mi) and he had a friend over riding his ATV (my buddy has a UTV, also). He was making laps around the field like he was in a NASCAR race. My wife and I slipped and slid that far....to see that???....lol

I saw several ATV's while I was out, yesterday. None seemed to have my issues.

Again....I plowed THIRTEEN of my neighbors' drives, yesterday. It did great, IMO. We admittedly got a BIG snow, for here. There's likely a foot that fell.

I love the Pioneer. I just wish it was better in the snow. For my needs....for over 90% of the time, it'll be great. But, one of the things I used to look forward to with the ATV, was going riding in the snow. Unless I get this worked out (and no....I don't want to have to put on chains and add weight to the rear, every time I want to ride in the snow.....I'm sorry), I won't be doing that.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I don't really understand. We have had some heavy snows this year, and I've been pretty impressed. You can't expect a machine to pull itself when its belly is lifting its weight off the tires from dragging in deep snow.

I will agree it feels squirrely in snow. I believe this is mainly due to the locked rear, I had a jeep that was locked front/rear, and it was awful to drive in snow. However, it would go like ****, just perhaps not the direction you pointed it :D

I drove some county roads that were heavily drifted/closed in the pioneer, and then later in a 4wd truck. The truck has more ground clearance, and felt very similar in its limits as to where it could go compared to the Honda. I tried to pass through a section of closed road in the Honda, and got hung up. It took me 10 minutes or so to get backed out, mainly due to the reverse limiter preventing much tirespin. A neighbor had come down in a tractor thinking I would need pulled out, he reached me as I finished turning around in the road. The first thing he said was he was surprised at how well it did in the snow. (He has a Kubota rtv)

In short- it goes like **** in snow IMO. I would be shocked to see a UTV with the same ground clearance and similar tires go any better in deep snow.

This is its "limits". I backed out of this, and even turned around (30 point turn!) in the drift in the road. I don't see how you could expect any better? Perhaps tracks are in your future?

 
#21 ·
I don't know about these not being made to run in snow. I didn't buy a sxs to just drive on the road on sunny days.

I don't put chains on or run weight in mine, but if you have sh*t tires on something, those are two ways to make due with what you have.

I have lots of video of me going through snow too.

I give the Pioneer way higher marks than an ATV in snow.
 
#25 ·
I don't know about these not being made to run in snow. I didn't buy a sxs to just drive on the road on sunny days.

I don't put chains on or run weight in mine, but if you have sh*t tires on something, those are two ways to make due with what you have.

I have lots of video of me going through snow too.

I give the Pioneer way higher marks than an ATV in snow.
I didn't mean to imply they wouldn"t run in the snow just they are not designed to run in snow. If they were they would have all the same size tires, a lot different tread and would perform better in snow. As they are they are about the same as a jeep which is not bad, you need get used to driving in snow it is an aquired skill.

More and more people in the snow regions are buying these to get almost 4 seasons out them. There is nothing worse than buying a new snowmobile and not getting any snow. They even started selling 2 types of atv trail passes here a 3 season and a 4 season. They are starting to groom winter trails for atv's, I have not been on one yet to see how they are because there is not enough around to make it worth while yet. With that being said maybe there will be more thought put into winter performance of these sxs's.

We are like a debate team here, we may not all agree but at the end of the day we kind of sort it out. :)
 
#22 ·
I'm just going to drop it. I'm not going to apologize for being honest, and I shouldn't have to apologize (nor should anyone else) for the machine.

The fact of the matter is, the ATV's I was in touch with, had no issues (that I could tell) in this snow (admittedly a foot). I did/do. Maybe they were all running aftermarket tires. I don't know (nor does anyone here). I never added weight to my ATV.....or ran anything other than stock tires. It would run circles around the Pioneer, and I routinely plowed in 2WD.

When it comes time to re-up my tires, I'll consider going big.
 
#23 ·
Tires definitely make a difference I have a 500 rubicon and a 500 foreman basically the same machine. Side by side in the exact same location my rubicon will out perform it has a set of kenda executioners the foreman is running stock tires I do notice the factory tires tend to have a donut shape only the center of the tire touches the ground the executioners tend to be flat across as do the bh 2.0 on my gator which performs better also
 
#27 ·
Actually- no, it doesn't really fit well. It does mount fine, no interference with the top, but there is a 2-3 inch gap between the hardtop and the midscreen. I guess since the single hardtop curves down behind the seats, and the 4p hardtop doesn't.

My goal was to be able to close off the front seats in the cold weather. I filled the gap above it and it does work for what I wanted.
 
#26 ·
I know what you meant Dick, but I think there is a lot of people driving these in deep snow or even just ice for the first time. Heck it might be the first time they drove anything in snow.

When they see a post saying "these aren't made for snow" its the mantra they will adopt, if they don't want to put the work in to correct the issue. I don't think that's fair to what I think is one of the best traction to the ground vehicles I've ever driven.

I have fielded probably 50 PM's this week on this subject along with the posts... I feel like I'm stuck in this snow right along with them.

I'm just trying to convey that the Pioneer is only part of the equation. You need to be willing to add and subtract from that equation to get it to equal what you want.

Some people like the stock tires. I don't. I saw how they affected my King Quad. It went from being a goat in the snow, to spinning its tires trying to back up in 4 inches of the stuff.

For some, tires aren't the answer. More time behind the wheel in these conditions is. For some weight in the back, for others, braking in the tires or maybe let the air out.

I regularly drive with the belly dragging in the snow. It does it. I have video of it climbing a snow bank. I have video of it climbing a pile of overburden covered in snow and it never spun a tire. The machine will do it people.

Don't get down on yourselves or your new machine. Don't stand in the garage beating your head against the wall. You can do this.
 
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#30 ·
This is just plain silly, both to me and physics.
The only thing I can think of it has to be the tires The front diff on the gator does not lock only the back
It's a shame the gator wheels won't bolt on the pioneer that would solve the mystery
 
#33 ·
Just looking from behind the bh look twice as wide I'll get some comparison pics posted of both machines side by side
 
#36 ·
A few more random thoughts

I was out with a tracker and a jeep in the woods with this photo below. The snow got slick at the right temps on our second outing, and neither of them could get anywhere easily. I could stop/start on hills they needed a running gun to have a prayer at. I was able to pull the (quite heavy!) wrangler up decent hills when the snow was fresh. On the second outing with just the tracker, the snow was slicker, and I had trouble pulling it up hills. I did once with lots of wheelspin/ jerking the strap, and winched the rest of the many times he needed help.

There was probably 6-7 inches of snow on the ground, and I had zero issues getting anywhere I wanted to go in a woods with little trails/ making our own. The hill in the pic I did have to winch myself up, but, it was very steep. My friend took his tracker down it, and vowed to never do it again lol.

I've been out with a few people familiar with offroading, and I think they have all have been surprised with the pioneers ability off road.

 
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